Daily Huddle

B,RN · Jul 22, 2015

We have a power huddle in the break room for the oncoming staff from 7-7:03 each day. Quick reminders about issues we are having compliance with are huddled, as well as any reminders for upcoming meetings or trainings. Then we all break and go get report on our patients.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2015

We arrive at 1845, so huddle goes from 1845 to whenever it is done... sometimes that's 1846, sometimes it's almost 1900. We remind people of what education has a deadline coming soon, policy/procedure changes coming soon, sometimes we talk about specific situations on the unit if people need to be warned before they go out there, things like that.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 22, 2015

Huddle works well at the beginning of the shift. Not 1 hr into it. Make everyone sign in and held accountable if not there.

Greenclip · Jul 22, 2015

The best huddle I've seen was at a hospital where everyone, off-going and on-coming staff for the unit, was required to power huddle for 3-5 minutes. Issues would be brought up, usually ongoing things like "people on diabetic diets are sometimes having regular sodas delivered on their trays" or like you said, VAP awareness. Also, simple safety issues with patients were mentioned. For example, "We have two patients named Kathy C., both in their fifties, just be aware."

At this hospital, the strong unspoken expectation was that you would arrive 0630-0645 and get your things put away, even though clock-in was not until 0654. I actually thought that was good because you got to spend ten minutes with a cup of coffee and relax together. The charge would usually say "clock in time" and everyone oncoming would then clock in. It was always followed immediately by the power huddle.

We had a sister unit (two sides of the same floor) and we did NOT huddle together. The broader issues like VAP, supply shortages, pharmacy transitioning to a new order system, would be brought up in huddle on the sister unit too. But the reason for keeping the huddles separate by unit was because of the specific patient safety things. It also worked because of the physical set up of the units. The clock in area was right by the nurses' station so you were never far from your patients (for the offgoing staff).

Where I am now, we huddle at the start of our shift. It's only oncoming shift nurses. Four sister units huddle together. Our time clock is in a hallway near, but not inside, any of the units. It doesn't work nearly as well.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jul 22, 2015

My hospital does two huddles per shift: one at the start (right before shift report), one in the middle if/when there's a lull.

First huddle lasts 2-3 minutes and includes the most essential info (likely admissions, who is on call, safety issues--i.e. 'The green claves are spontaneously combusting; do not use the green claves on your CVADs.') Incentive to be there: if you miss it, you feel like you have no idea what's going on.

Second huddle lasts about 20 minutes; it occurs when nurses are doing the least care (i.e. not on the hour or during an admission). BYO chair, very casual; a computer with our cardiac monitors is in sight for safety. We go over major topics from the charge meetings and ongoing projects/concerns. We take a couple of minutes to recognize awesome care; you can submit a 'recognition' for a coworker throughout the shift. There's an opportunity for anybody to bring up issues or concerns. Lots of laughter since the 3am delirium is setting in. People seem to enjoy it, and it keeps us on the same page. Skipped if we are blowing up with admissions or resuscitations.